This invention relates to electrical cable raceways and more particularly to a raceway assembly for quickly and easily repositioning an electrical fire alarm pull station on a wall.
Fire alarm pull stations typically are located at a height of fifty-four inches to fifty-eight inches from the floor. The federal Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations now require that fire alarm pull stations be located at a height of no more than forty-eight inches from the floor so that persons seated in wheelchairs can reach and activate the pull stations.
Various procedures and devices have been used to reposition existing fire alarm pull stations to comply with ADA regulations, but these procedures and devices have disadvantages. For example, the conventional procedure for repositioning the fire alarm pull station on a wall requires that a new hole be created in the wall at the height of approximately forty-eight inches from the floor. The fire alarm pull station is then removed from its original location and is repositioned and rewired in the new opening. The opening remaining at the original location of the fire alarm pull station must then be patched, and new conduit may be required to provide electrical power to the new position.
Mechanically operated add-on devices have also been proposed for mechanically connecting to the fire alarm pull station. These devices typically are provided with handles or other actuating configurations which are connected to and extend downwardly from the pull station and which are located at the required height of forty-eight inches above the floor. The problem with these devices is that the fire alarm pull station is mechanically operated and the add-on devices are also mechanically operated. As a result, the risk of mechanical failure increases.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a raceway assembly for quickly and easily repositioning an electrical fire alarm pull station on a wall.
Another object is to provide such an assembly which reduces the cost of repositioning the fire alarm.
A further object of the invention is the provision of such an assembly which has a low side profile so as to project outwardly only a relatively small distance from the wall surface. This provides a pleasing appearance and minimum intrusion into the adjacent hallway or room space.
Still another object is to provide such an assembly which enables a fire alarm pull station to be repositioned on a wall without requiring patching of existing openings in the wall.
Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of a raceway assembly which does not increase the risk of mechanical failure of the fire alarm pull station after the pull station has been repositioned on the wall.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such an assembly that covers the electrical wiring which extends from the original wall position of the fire alarm pull station to the new position of the pull station.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages are realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.